Congregation Tiferet Israel  Austin, TX 23 Av 5782 -- August 20, 2022 What's the Spiel? Shabbat Mevarchim - Parshat Eikev

Austin Community Eruv For more information, a map and current status click here. Some Useful Links Our website Sign Up to Receive our Emails Facebook Email CTI Rabbi Email CTI President Inquire about our Torah School Program CTI Kashrut Standards Common Reliable Kosher Certifications Found Locally Donate to CTI You can also make a donation by check. Make checks payable to Tiferet Israel with a note on what the donation is for. Send checks to: Tiferet Israel PO Box 27254 Austin, TX 78755 Shopping at ArtScroll online Note: You will not see anything saying you are clicking through from CTI but we DO get the referral credit for our congregation.  Please use these links! AmazonSmile AmazonSmile will make a donation to CTI based on the amount of your eligible purchases made on the AmazonSmile website.  Do you have a Randalls Remarkable Card?   If you do, please update it with our Charity #, 12298. If you do not, please fill out an application at your nearest Randalls. Membership Information Would you like to become a member of a congregation that feels more like a family? If so, contact Sarah Wander for more information at membership@tiferetaustin .org Rabbi's Reflections -You Can't Bribe God: Developing a Religious Personality- Parshat Eikev teaches us a profound lesson in developing a healthy religious personality vis-a-vis our relationships with God. According to our parsha, “For the Lord, your God – He is the God of the powers and the Lord of the lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, Who does not show favor and Who does not accept a bribe” (Devarim 10:17). It seems that God is expressing two things by this powerful statement. First, that God is above and beyond everything, and second, that God’s nature is not human nature because He is God. These words imply that even for human judges – the most upright and trusted members of society – people charged with maintaining fairness, blind justice and upholding the law, the temptation yet exists to accept bribes. In other words, because we are human, mere flesh and blood, we are susceptible, even the most moral and ethical among us, to act in ways which contradict our own standards of morality and ethics. God, however, is not like this. God is the Judge of judges. One cannot bribe God. What does that mean? How do these words impact our own sense of religiosity, and our relationships with God? According to the Sforno, the words, “Who does not accept a bribe,” means, “[God] will not reduce the punishment for a transgression because of the merit of a mitzvah which the sinner performed…And all this teaches us that if we sin, we cannot rely on any merit to save us from punishment – except perfect repentance.” The Sforno sounds harsh, but let’s try to understand what he is really saying. God is the perfect Judge. Thus, we are accountable for every action, for every mitzvah and yes, for every transgression we make. If and when we transgress, we cannot think to ourselves, “But what about all of the good things I’ve done? Doesn’t that count for something? Don’t my good deeds factor into my judgement?” The answer, according to the Sforno, is no, because our sins and our merits stand alone. This leads to a larger question of how do we serve God? What should our relationships be like with Him? We cannot think that serving God, having a relationship with Him, can be accomplished by “bribing” Him – in essence, asking Him to look the other way regarding a sin because of a mitzvah. There is no trade-off. This idea is illustrated by the words of the Prophet, who proclaims, “What need have I of all your sacrifices?...I have no delight in lambs and goats” (Yishayahu 1:11). This does not mean that God does not desire our sacrifices, our Shabbat observance or any other mitzvot. It means that God does not want us to use them as ways to ingratiate ourselves to Him so that He would overlook the transgressions we have committed in order to gain His favor.  We cannot bribe God. The only way to undo a transgression is, as the Sforno says, through perfect repentance. Once we understand that God is our True Judge, and holds us accountable for everything, once we understand that two rights don’t make up for one wrong, we can better understand how we can relate to the Almighty, and develop a healthy relationship with our Creator. This Shabbat, let us reflect on the ways that God judges us as our True Judge. Let us consider our ways, and what’s more, our attitudes and approaches to our relationships with God. By understanding our accountability, we can open up lines of spiritual communication with God in more sincere and meaningful ways. May we all come to this higher level of understanding, so that all of our actions are deliberate and purposeful, and our abstentions from transgressions are as critical as our performance of mitzvot. Shabbat Shalom! -Rabbi Dan ‌

Schedule of Services at B'nai Abraham We encourage everyone to daven privately when unable to attend services. Use the private time to connect to Hashem. Public prayer definitely adds to our prayer experience. Yet we also have the capacity to create a profoundly meaningful private experience with the Divine. Let us seek such an experience in the coming days.

Friday Night Candle Lighting No later than 7:50 PM Mincha/Kabbalat Shabbat 7:30 PM Shabbat Morning Shacharit 9:00 AM Youth Service 10:30 AM  Shabbat Afternoon/Evening Mincha 7:40 PM Maariv/Havdalah 8:45 PM Sunday Shacharit 8:30 AM Weekday Services Monday - Friday Shacharit 7:05 AM

CTI Announcements

Dear CTI Family, Great news! Rabbi Dan’s classes will resume this Tuesday, August 23rd. Please note, the Friday morning class, “Mishne Torah k’Seder,” will be suspended until further notice. However, the Take Your Tanakh Series will continue according to the usual schedule! Don’t miss our Tuesday evening class (7:00pm) on The Book of Judges, and our brand-new Wednesday morning class (8:15am) on The Book of Jonah! It’s a whale-of-a-tale…and good spiritual prep for Yom Kippur! Classes will be $36 per month or $200 for six months for non-members and $18 per month or $100 for six months for associate members. Free for members in good standing. Sign up available Sunday on Tiferetaustin.org. All classes are available on Zoom.

As a service to the wider community, the Orthodox Union has researched various online platforms and has organized, collected and curated many key resources in one centralized location for your convenience. Please visit together.ou.org for a wide range of information covering the following areas: Adults, Leadership, Parenting, Seniors & Elders, Technology, Torah and Youth. Check back at together.ou.org as updates will occur regularly.

Visit tiferetaustin.org for more information on how to join these exciting classes: TYT Tuesday Night  The Book of Judges Tuesday 7:00pm  The Book of Judges teaches us about unexpected and underestimated spiritual and political leadership. Prior to the establishment of the Jewish monarchy, the nation was constantly enmeshed in fighting foreign enemies, spiritual and moral backsliding, oppression, as well as tribal in-fighting. It was a vicious cycle. The Judges came about in order to resolve these political, spiritual and moral issues and to set the people on the right track. Who were the Judges of Israel? How were they chosen, and why? While names like Shimshon, Devorah, Gidon and Yeftach may be familiar, their stories, complex personalities and murky legacies require a great deal of study. In this brand new TYT series, we will explore the life and times of the Judges of Israel – who they were, what they did, and what their contributions to Jewish history are all about. You won’t want to miss out on learning about these early leaders of the Jewish people, whose stories and personalities are as captivating as their contributions to the Jewish people are timeless.  TYT Wednesday Mornings  The Book of Jonah Wednesday 8:15am Come and join the TYT community and learn about the most "successful" Prophet in Jewish history, Jonah! Who was Jonah? Why did he seek to evade his spiritual responsibilities? Did he really think he could run away from God? What were his motivations, fears and concerns? Is his story literally true, or metaphorical? Is there even room in Judaism to read Biblical texts as metaphorical? If so, which texts, and why? In this class, we will explore the life and times of Jonah...and the whale, and come to a better understanding of his mission and why he features so prominently on the holiest day of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur. You really don't want to miss out on a thorough "deep dive" into what is perhaps the most imaginative and enthralling book in the Tanakh! So join us at 8:15am on Wednesdays to find out more about this essential Prophet, whose lessons are as complex as they are eternal.

Questions? Suggestions? Interested in Volunteering? Please contact our Committee Chairpersons.  Finance Committee: Larry Smith Fundraising Committee: Daniel Ledeen Bylaws Committee: Jay Rubin Education Committee: Sarah Wander Membership Committee: Alana Pompa Chesed Committee: Lynn Kane Kiddush Committee: Henna Tatham Ritual Committee: Eric Shapiro

For those new to the community, check out this introductory video  featuring Rabbi Dan and a few of our wonderful CTI community members!

Birthdays Reuven Robbins on August 20 Camille Kress on August 22 Anniversary Marshall & Sandra Sack on August 20 m If you have any birthdays or anniversaries you would like to add, please update your profile on our website.

Yahrzeit Remembrances Sarah Levine Weinberg, Mother-in-law of Daniel Rosenberg, on Saturday 23 Av Esther Green, Mother of Judy Liebowitz, on Sunday 24 Av Celia Peyser, Grandmother of Beth Shapiro, on Thursday 28 Av Edward W. Smith, Father of Larry Smith, on Friday 29 Av May their souls be bound up in the bond of life. If you have a Yahrzeit that you would like the congregation to acknowledge, or if you have a correction that needs to be made, please update your profile on our website.

DONATIONS  Thank you to our anonymous donors. Thank you to Amnon Orent for his aliyah donation.  Thank you to Arthur Altman for his aliyah donation. _________________ We encourage you to use electronic payments by credit card or eCheck through CTI's website at www.tiferetaustin.org when fulfilling the mitzvah of giving Tzedakah to mark family events and milestones, including Yahrzeits, and in honor of CTI and our community.    *** Spiel sponsorships are now available for a donation of $18. Advertise your business or dedicate an issue of the spiel in memory of a loved one or to celebrate a Simcha. Contact admin for more details.  Donations can be made via our website at www.tiferetaustin.org, by pressing "Make a Donation" in the sidebar, using the "Donate to CTI" button on the top left of this email, or by sending your check to: Tiferet Israel P.O. Box 27254, Austin, TX 78755. Please make check payable to Tiferet Israel and please indicate what the donation is for.

Refuah Shelayma to:

Allene Novy-Portnoy; Hannah Bassa bat Sarah Osnat  Avshalom ben Hannah Bassa Cindy Newman  Janet Goldberg; Shayna Masha bat Chasha Mina Ken Friedman Rebecca Millner; Rivkah bat Shoshana Sheina Ruchel bat Henya Leah Tzvi David ben Rivka Golda Yoel Simcha ben Chaya Risha  Sulta bat Nedgma Zvi Aharon ben Bayla Yaira bat Sarah Tamar bat Chaya Ilana bat Gheita HaRav Avram Meir ben Eli Yosef v'Shira Chanah. Rabbi Harold Liebowitz, Ha Rav Chaim Alter ben Necha.  Baruch Akiva Ben Rivka Miriam bat Helen Rivka Michal bat Sarah Chana Lori Garza  Yisroel Natan ben Sarah Masha Gitil bas Chaya Yita Allen Levinson; Avraham Yitzchak ben Gittel

Shoshana bat Yocheved Miriam bat Rachel v'Mordechai Alta Shoshana bat Shulamit Meir Psachia ben Tziril Geni Berman Abitbol Beilya Golda bat Leah Yosef Yehoshua ben Sarah Jonathan Malawer (Yosef ben Bracha) Bowie Alarcon Fivel ben Sarah HaLevi Adam ben Chanah Rafael ben Sheindal Leah Aharon Asher ben Chaya Naomi Esther Malka Fraida bat Serel Chaya Raiza Kalev Boaz Chai ben Aliza Esther Reva bat Malka Avraham ben Rut Peter Janson, Fievel ben Devorah Sheva Eva bat Bella. Dorit Iken, Dorit Chana bat Orah Moshe ben Rut Shulkah Malka bat Tziporah Yehudit bat Sara Chandal bat Basia Shmuel Dovid bat Malka Anthony Ben Devorah Shayna Leah bat Yehudit

Wishing all Cholei Yisrael a Refuah Shlayma.  Dear Tiferet Friends,  If you placed a name on the Refuah Shelayma list and G-d willing the person is well,  please let us know. Also, if you have a friend or family member who needs  prayers for healing, again please let us know at admin@tiferetaustin.org

Using the CTI Website Logging in is easy via the login button at the top of the web page. Your login ID is your email address.  Once logged in, many of the fields are pre-filled for you, to make it easier and quicker to register for an event or make a donation, and so on. But that's not all! You will also have access to the online Member Directory,    the CTI Bylaws, the minutes of Board meetings and the President,Treasurer and Rabbi Reports and other documents, all under the Resources tab. With more coming all the time! If you have any questions or comments about the website, please contact our webmaster at admin@tiferetaustin.org.

Contact Us! On the web: www.tiferetaustin.org Rabbi: Dan Millner: rabbidan@tiferetaustin.org  Phone: 512-410-0336 ext 101 President: Alana Pompa: president@tiferetaustin.org   Phone: 512-410-0336 ext 102 Vice President: Sarah Wander vp@tiferetaustin.org  Secretary: Chuck Kaufman, secretary@tiferetaustin.org Administrator: Sarah Church Carroll admin@tiferetaustin.org  Phone: 512-410-0336 ext 103 Treasurer: Larry Smith treasurer@tiferetaustin.org   Phone: 512-923-3964 Membership: Alana Pompa membership@tiferetaustin.org  Phone: 512-410-0336 ext 106

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